USGS report highlights important areas for mineral investment in Afghanistan

USGS scientists have identified five new areas of interest (AOI) and two subareas in Afghanistan, adding to a list of 24 areas of interest identified in a 2011 study titled, “Summaries and Data Packages of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan.” Vast areas of natural mineral resources can be found in Afghanistan, and extracting and producing these resources could improve Afghanistan’s current economic situation

House Natural Resources Committee Holds Markup of Proposed Mining Legislation

On May 15, 2013, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a markup of 18 proposed bills, including three on critical and strategic minerals (H.R. 761, H.R. 981, and H.R. 1063), one on soda ash production (H.R. 957), and one on outer continental shelf hydrocarbon reservoir management (H.R. 1613).

President poised to sign bi-partisan helium legislation

Both the House and Senate passed crucial helium legislation this September to avert the shutdown of the federal helium reserve near Amarillo, Texas. The reserve provides the United States with 40 percent of its helium supply, and is critical for supplying the private sector with helium for hospital equipment, solar panels, and computer silicon chips. H.R. 527, the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013, passed with an amendment by the House and is expected to be signed by President Obama in the coming weeks.

Melting Arctic reveals new resources and political struggles

New trade routes and untapped mineral deposits are just a couple things being revealed by the ever-thinning ice in an increasingly warm Arctic. This year alone nearly 400 ships passed through Russia’s exposed Northern Sea Route, an Arctic waterway along the country’s northern coast, and that number is expected to grow substantially in the coming years.

America's Helium Supply: Options for producing more Helium from Federal Lands

Witnesses:
Tim Spisak
Deputy Assistant Director, Minerals and Realty Management, U.S. Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Land Management

"The Past, Present and Future of the Federal Helium Program" and Legislative Hearing on H.R. 527

Witnesses:
Panel I
Tim Spisak
Deputy Assistant Director, Minerals and Realty Management, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior
Daniel Garcia-Diaz
Director, National Resources and Environment, U.S. Government Accountability Office
Kimberly Elmore

AGI Announces the Publication of Dawn of the Anthropocene: Humanity's Defining Moment

We have entered an era of stark realization. Although Earth's resources once seemed abundant and resilient, we have come to understand the limitations of a planet as small and crowded as our own. In DAWN OF THE ANTHROPOCENE: Humanity's Defining Moment, author George A. Seielstad explores the challenges associated with building a sustainable future in a world struggling to meet society's needs.

EARTH: Afghanistan's Mineral Resources Laid Bare

Geologists carrying rock hammers and accompanied by Marines traverse the rugged expanse of the Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, searching for untold mineral wealth. Although the nature of Afghanistan's mineral deposits is not unique in the world, the country's deposits are largely untouched. Will Afghanistan be able to utilize these minerals to rebuild the war-torn nation? Join EARTH Magazine in our January issue as we examine Afghanistan's mineral wealth and the implications it holds for the country's future.

EarthNote: Critical Minerals

What would you do without your cell phone and computer? How about your car? Could you function in modern society without these contemporary devices? All of these technological marvels require no fewer than 60 different elements to function, and these elements come from a finite supply of mineral commodities. These critical minerals are defined by their dollar value, the availability of substitutes, and their ever increasing demand. In a new EarthNote, the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) outlines what makes a "mineral critical" and how the sudden loss of these resources could impact both the U.S. and global economy.

EARTH: Moving Afghanistan Forward

EARTH Magazine reports on the important collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Afghanistan government ensure that the people of Afghanistan can rebuild their country and enjoy a safe and prosperous future.

American Geosciences Institute

natural resources